The Doomed Youth of Saudi Arabia

Prior to my trip to Malawi, my colleague and I encountered a 14 year old patient waiting for his dads medication. You would have expected him to wait patiently in the queue, however, he jumped the queue and started screaming at us at the top of his voice in arabic. "Yallah Bisur3a" make quick he said. He then went on to say that he had better things to do rather than waiting at the pharmacy. My colleague, a soft spoken Pakistani man who is fluent in arabic didn't say a word. I on the other hand was quite miffed at the fact that a 14 year old is speaking to a man who could be his fathers age with such disrepect.I went up to him, refused to give him the medication and asked him to call his parents. When his mom arrived I first told her about her sons attitude and lack of respect for other people. But it was pretty obvious that the childs attitude was like this as his parents have the same kind of disrespectful mentality.

Islam is a very beautiful religion that is portrayed nowadays in a very negative way due to media influence and propaganda sparked by various western countries especially America.Islam teaches us to respect Gods creation irrespective of their nationality, race, religious or political beliefs. However, the mentality that exists in Saudi Arabia is quite the contrary. Most people here especially the rich and affluent think that the common man earning a decent living is like a slave to them. Cleaners and taxi drivers are considered low class and not respected at all. I have noticed kids shouting at their nannies. There was an incident where a teenager of 15 years old slapped his Bangladeshi driver for arriving 10 minutes late due to traffic.In another incident a 17 year old beat his driver for scratching the car door by mistake.

Part of the problem I think lies with the bad parenting system within the Kingdom. Women here are not taught about their responsibilities after marriage. Usually they are brought up in homes where there are maids, cooks and drivers and so after marriage this is automatically what is expected in their husbands home. On arrival of the first child, there is much happiness and excitement but after a few weeks usually a nanny is brought into the picture and the child is handed over to the nanny. In most Saudi homes kids land up growing up with their nannies. The nannies feed them , bath them, put them to sleep, take them to school carrying out all the duties of a mother.In many cases you would find Saudi kids speaking fluent Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines. So what is the mother doing you may ask yourself. Well, for most Saudi women life revolves around shopping, beauty parlours, hair salons, and partying with their girlfriends at their homes or at restaurants.If the mother is not carrying out her responsibility towards her kids then how can society produce noble, respectable children. Yes it is the fathers role as well to be a good role model to his kids but usually a child has a stronger bond and affiliation towards its mother rather than father.

A friend of mine was relating a story of how his ex-wife leaves the kids with the nanny for weeks on end at her moms home whilst she is travelling abroad for conferences and vacation.This kind of irresponsible behaviour is prevalent across the Kingdom.There is no family unit as such. In many of the wealthy households you would find that the father is always away on business trips, the mom is enjoying herself at a spa or beauty parlour or travelling abroad with her friends and the poor kids are left to be attended to by the nanny. This poor nanny has to take on the responsibility of a mom, cook and sometimes cleaner as well.After carrying out so many tasks to satisfy her employers needs she is in most cases shouted at and abused by the very kids she looks after.

When these kids become teenagers they become rebellious as they have not received the love and bond of their parents.They land up seeking other avenues of filling a void or an emptiness in their lives. Every day we find teenagers admitted to hospital for drug over doses either street drugs or prescription drugs. Many a times these teenagers are brought to the hospital whilst their parents are abroad vacationing. Drug and alcohol abuse in Saudi Arabia believe it or not is a huge problem. It is a problem that this society is failing to address. The penalty for drug trafficking is death as written in red on the immigration forms when entering the country. But once again if you are wealthy and from affluent roots anything is possible. 

The upbringing of a child is very important and perhaps that is why God Almighty has given many bounties and blessings to a mother. A mother who nurtures a child, brings up a child in a good way, teaches the child about morality, values and respect will only naturally produce a child that is a role model in society. Unfortunately, we find that in most cases this is quite the contrary here in the Kingdom. Kids are spoilt rotten. Small kids are walking around with the latest high tech mobile phones and other sophisticated gadgets that cost more than their nannies or drivers salary.

A month ago girl friends and I encountered a group of teenagers parked outside the Kingdom Mall. The driver of the black Pajero could not have been more than 16 or 17 years old. As we waited on the side bench outside the Mall waiting for our driver to arrive we suddenly see the windows of the Pajero roll down. The boys at the back had a paintball gun and started shooting at the women waiting for their drivers. When the security approached the car they then sped off shouting obscene words in arabic.

If this is the type of mentality instilled into the youth of a country, it makes you wonder what the future leaders of the country will be like.

A friend of mine who teaches at one of the local schools told me that the level of disrespect portrayed by students was appalling. She went on to say that the way the child behaves at school is a true reflection of the type of home the child comes from. She recalled an incident where a saudi child was making fun at a Christian child simply because the child was not muslim and because the child was of a darker skin colour. For some odd reason its quite a common fact that Saudis love people who are fair. Most Saudi men would prefer marrying women who are blue eyed, fair skinned.After sitting the child down it was established that in the childs home, the kids were taught that arab muslims are superior than all other people. Also the fact that the child's nanny was a dark skinned Christian woman from Sri Lanka, the impression embedded in the childs mind was that dark skinned people are of a lower class in society. The parents of the child had no respect for the child's nanny.They consistently spoke to the nanny in a harsh impolite manner and so this same type of inhumane mentality was now being transferred to the child.


Most kids residing within the Kingdom have not seen the true face of poverty. Wealth is usually handed down from generation to generation. Teenagers have the money to access drugs and other illegal substances. The government here needs to channel the energy of the youth into a different direction. Kids should be encouraged to do voluntary work at hospitals or spend a few weeks in a poor, poverty stricken country doing voluntary humanitarian work. Most kids here spend their time idle watching television or playing computer games and hence statistics have shown the high level of obesity amongst the Saudi population. Also in the majority of Saudi households food is not cooked at home but rather bought outside from a fast food restaurant that offers a delivery service.

But all is not bleak. I have met a few families who have inculcated good qualities in their children. One such family is the Al-Khanaani family who send their kids on a yearly basis to various parts of the world doing charity work and assisting the poor.Also during the month of Ramadhaan the family would go to Makkah or Medina and hand out food to the needy people outside the haram. Mr. Al Khanaani always says that spoiling a child is like poisoning a child.He never gives his kids any money unless they have earned it through working part time or passing an exam. His attitude needs to be adopted throughout society.

Kids should be encouraged to participate in sports. Youth camps should be initiated whereby kids can participate in various activities.I think more youth social activities need to be set up within the Kingdom to allow children of all colours and creed to interact with each other so that barriers based on colour or religious beliefs can fade. Youth leadership programs are an excellent way to encourage teenagers to learn about various aspects of life.These programs can assist in moulding kids into better human beings

  

I have noticed on many occasions that Arab families do not like their kids to interact with non Arab children or families. By doing this you create a society that has barriers, a society where one nation feels they are superior or above the rest, a society where kids do not respect their elders based on their job status or skin colour. It is sad that Saudi Arabia, being the birth place of Islam has a value system that is quite against Islamic principles or etiquette  and if this kind of menatlity continues then alas the doomed youth of today will be the corrupt leaders of tomorrow!!!!

Homosexuality on the Rise in Saudi Arabia

Result of an Oppressive Regime or Are Saudis Coming Out of the Closet?

According to an article The Kingdom in the Closet in the May issue of the Atlantic Monthly, many in the Saudi population, both male and female, frequently engage in homosexual acts despite the fact that it is punishable by death under Islamic Sharia law. Homosexuality seems risky in a kingdom sometimes called "The Land of The Two Holy Mosques", a reference to Makka and Medina, Islam's two holiest places.  

According to Western Resistance, one of the reasons that a large segment of the Saudi population engages in homosexual acts is that it's frankly easier to mingle with members of the same sex in the highly restrictive and oppressive regime--

According to Islamic law homosexuality is punishable by death. This punishment, however, is a poor deterrent. According to the article, most Saudi men become gay because it's easier to pick up a man than to find a woman. The situation is the same for young women. The article claims that Saudi Arabia's inhumane laws and dread morality police, which forbid dating between young men and women, in fact are a major factor pushing them towards homosexuality in their youth.
In his article, Queer Shiek, Being openly gay in Saudi Arabia used to be a death sentence-but times are changing, John R. Bradley describes the scene at a western-type mall in the city of Jeddah-

Gay Saudi men now cruise certain malls and supermarkets, openly making passes at each other, and one street in Jeddah is said to have the most traffic accidents in the city because it is the most popular place for Saudi drivers to pick up gay Filipinos, who strut their stuff on the sidewalk in tight jeans and cut-off t-shirts. (Filipinos are one of the larger groups of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia.) Meanwhile, gay and lesbian discos, gay-friendly coffee shops, and even gay oriented Internet chat rooms are now flourishing in some Saudi cities; in the chat rooms, gay and lesbian Saudis discuss the best places to meet people for one-night stands. "We talk about places that aren't gay cruising areas, because they're now in the minority," says one young gay Saudi, only half-jokingly.

These excerpts from the Atlantic Monthly article reflect some attitudes and realities about homosexuality in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia--

Talal, a Syrian youth who moved to Riyadh in 2000, calls the Saudi capital a ``gay heaven.''
``I used to have the feeling that I was the queerest in the country,'' said Yasser, a Saudi youth. ``But then I went to high school and discovered that there are others like me. Then I find out it's a whole society.''
Many gay expatriates say they feel more at home in the kingdom than in their native lands.
``Guys romp around and parade in front of you,'' said Marco, a 41-year old gay man from the Philippines living in Saudi Arabia. ``They will seduce you. It's up to you how many you want, every day.''
A magazine editor in Jeddah told me that many boys in Mecca, where he grew up have sexual relations with men, but they don't see themselves as gay.
``Homosexuality is considered to be a stage of life, particularly at youth.''
``[Saudi Arabia] is the land of sand and sodomites,'' said Tasmin, a female student who told me about the lesbian enclave at her school. ``The older men take advantage of the little boys.''
Dave, a gay American teacher living in Saudi Arabia, put it this way: ``Let's say there's a group of men sitting around a cafe. If a smooth faced boy walks by, they all stop and make approving comments. They're just noting: ``That's a hot little number.''

It seems that these homosexual men and women are risking their lives. An Islamic cleric quoted at Front Page Magazine writes about the sin of homosexuality, "This sin, the impact of which makes one's skin crawl, which  words cannot describe, is evidence of perverted instincts, total collapse of shame and honor, and extreme filthiness of character and soul... The heavens, the Earth and the mountains tremble from the impact of this sin. The angels shudder as they anticipate the punishment of Allah to descend upon the people who commit this indescribable sin."
Now we learn that on January 1, 2002, Saudi Arabian authorities publicly beheaded three gay men after Islamic religious courts in the southwestern city of Abha declared them guilty of "engaging in the extreme obscenity and ugly acts of homosexuality, marrying among themselves and molesting the young
For the wealthy in Saudi Arabia, though, it appears that homosexuality is overlooked by the authorities. John Bradley writes-
The upper crust of Saudi society is becoming more open as well. Carmen bin Laden, the sister-in-law of Osama bin Laden, recently published a book, in French, titled Inside the Kingdom, which is a look at the life of the idle Saudi rich. In the book, The New York Times reported this month, bin Laden tells stories of homosexual affairs among the kingdom's wealthy and idle women. And Saudi anthropologist Mai Yamani has shown that all-female discos catering to rich Saudi women are often covers for lesbian get-togethers. Saudi princes, meanwhile, have frequented the Jeddah disco, where they openly interact with club-goers.

Within the hospital setting very often we notice patients who lead double lives. A typical example is a patient we treated three weeks ago who arrived at the hospital with his male partner. He was dressed in a tight jeans and had a very female like mannerism.In fact, he was crying when he received his injection. They were both treated for a sexually transmitted infection. A week later the same patient arrived at the hospital with his wife. His behaviour with his wife though was quite appalling. He was screaming at her in public,verbally abusing her for always being ill and simply showing an authority over his wife who was quite oblivious to the double life her husband was leading. The medical staff and I couldn't believe that it was the same man we had encountered the previous week before.His dressing, personality as well as mannerism was completely different.He suddenly adopted a macho man like image in front of his wife. There are also stories of lesbian couples marrying gay couples. In this way the family respect is maintained by getting married but once the marriage process is completed, both couples in the relationship continue leading separate homosexual lives.

Is homosexuality the result of men-only and women-only interactions strictly controlled by the religious police? Or is caused by a repressive regime that controls every aspect of its citizens' lives? Or, are the Saudis really coming out of the closet?

Sources:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/05/the-kingdom-in-the-closet/305774/

Malawi - The warm heart of Africa

I quite agree with the saying, "Mankind plans, but the best of planners is He, The Almighty."It was literally a month ago that mom departed from the Kingdom back to her home in South Africa and I was expecting to see her again no sooner than November. However, three weeks ago whilst my folks were vacationing at our holiday home Dad decides to give me a tinkle and inform me that he would be traveling with mom and a few significant others to Malawi. The purpose of the trip he said was a fact finding mission in establishing how various schools in the underprivileged areas of Malawi were being run. I knew that the family, especially dad was involved with funding a school in Malawi, but i didnt know the details or the depth of the project. The second purpose of the trip was to be present for the opening of a Masjid built by my family in a rural area to bring reward for all those individuals that have passed away within the family.

I have always traveled extensively with my folks and there was never a trip I missed. So naturally I wanted to be there to. Thanks to the kindness of my seniors I managed to secure an exit/re-entry visa on short notice and made my way to South africa via Dubai. I spent one night in South Africa and the next day we all took a flight from South africa to Blantyre, via Harare to pick up passengers and then Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi to clear customs and immigrations. With the exception of dad no one knew that I was arriving into the country so the shock and happiness on their faces when they seen me was certainly a moment that I would never forget in my life.

The airport experience in Malawi was quite hilarious, comical in fact. All passengers disembarked in Lilongwe to clear customs whilst the plane waited for us to take us to Blantyre, approximately a 25 minute flight from Lilongwe. As we got of the plane we seen our luggage being driven away in a trailor like vehicle.We got our passports stamped, picked up our luggage and went through customs and police clearance which was literally 10 steps away from each other. The airport has no sophisticated scanning device systems and so you are likely to be asked to open up your luggage (Not that they do a thorough inspection in any case).

We landed in Blantyre around five thirty in the evening at Chilekha airport. The airport was so small that it resembled a double storey home.We were received by dads very close friend (more like a brother) Sheikh Ayoob Patel whose ties with my family goes back at least 20 years ago when my late grandfather was still alive.We then made our way to his home in Zomba which is one and a half hours from Blantyre. The roads in Malawi are a nightmare. Cars will never survive and so four by four and heavy duty vehicles are the best for the rough terrain. By the time you reach your destination your body feels sore with all the bumps on the road.

Sheikh Ayoob's family gave us a warm welcome into their home and we had a sumptuous dinner prepared by Zohra aunty and her daughter Najma. After dinner we chatted and made our way to the Namanolo Educational Trust premises where we were welcomed by the security guards Jaffer and Umar who took our luggage in to the guest cottage. It was a quaint, cozy building with a lounge, kitchen,and two ensuite bedrooms.

The next morning after having a full breakfast we set out to the rural village where the masjid is situated. Once again we made our way through winding, bumpy gravel roads.The scenery though was picturesque with the village surrounded by the Zomba Mountains. Arriving at the village we were greeted by hundreds of people who were excited to meet us. We handed out blankets, food parcels and money to the community members. The level of poverty in Malawi is alarming. The are no words to explain the depth of poverty within the country.Usually tourists visiting the country dont really realise the extent of the poverty as they would stay in a five star hotel like Sunbird Hotel or Makakola retreat for example. However, as we resided with my dad's friend who is a teacher and looks after the various schools within poverty stricken communities, we were able to experience true life in Malawi first hand. Tears flowed down our cheeks when we seen how the local village people live. There is no running water or electricity. Water is pumped through a well and sometimes small kids walk for miles to fetch water and bring it back to their homes.
Most of the people of the village were not given any form of education. As we drove from village to village we stopped handing out sweets to the kids along the way. The smile on their faces, the gratitude of receiving one stock sweet was a picture that I will never forget.The next day we visited The Alfalah Islamic Institute for girls.Once again this institute is situated around mountains and greenery which creates an environment conducive for learning and seeking knowledge.This school is run personally by Sheikh Ayoob Patel. The school has around 50 students and they are taught secular as well as Islamic education. The girls live in a boarding complex and all their necessities are taken care off by the institute which is funded by people from all over the world especially the South African Indian community.
It was an eye opener to see these girls read as well as speak arabic fluently.These same female students hailed from the poor impoverished villages we had seen the day before. But once they were admitted into the school the quality of their lives have changed.There are some students who are HIV positive, some of them are orphaned and many of them are without a mother or a father.A doctor visits the institute on a monthly basis to monitor the health and nutrition of all the students.
HIV in Malawi is a huge problem like all other countries in Africa. The governments do not have the resources to teach and educate the nation about safe sex practices and of course contraception which is not an acceptable solution in many African cultures.The birth rate in Malawi is huge with around 30 deliveries each day in many of the hospitals. Hospitals do not have enough midwives to cope with deliveries. Their is a huge staff shortage in almost all of the hospitals as the government does not have money to pay for any extra staff.Many women die during child birth leaving the newborn child behind. In many instances these kids are also born with HIV.

Being a teacher is certainly not an easy task.But being a teacher to orphaned and underprivileged kids is definitely an even bigger task especially if the kids come from homes where their parents are illiterate themselves. I honestly and truly salute Sheikh Ayoob Patel for his hard work and sheer dedication towards the kids in his institute as well as the other institutes he oversees and manages, namely NAMANOLO ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL TRUST.His soft and understanding nature with the students at Alfalah encourages them to further acquire knowledge so that when they complete their education they can go back into their villages and impart knowledge within their local communities.It is good to give the poor money, but making them self sufficient and self sustaining is even better and more rewarding.Sheikh Ayoob gave us an insight into the sewing classes that is run for females. The classes are conducted by sister Ameena formally from Sudan whose husband is a well respected and educated man within the community having been a member of various international humanitarian organisations prior to his retirement. All the garments produced from the sewing classes are packed and distributed back into the poor village communities. Businesses selling materials donate their off cuts to the school. The women who attend theses sewing classes live on the premises of the school and all their basic needs are facilitated by the institute as well during the full duration of the course.When these women complete the program they are empowered to be employed in garment factories or sew privately from home thereby becoming self sufficient and are hence capable of supporting their families.

Sheikh Ayoob designed an excellent itinerary for us and so in between we had a few days of leisure to relax. He had taken the liberty to book us for two nights in to the Sunbird Hotel located right on top of the Zomba mountains.Weather in Malawi for winter was surprisingly very warm and there were many days when we didnt require the need of a jacket or coat. However, on top of the mountains it was quite chilly and warm clothes was required. The hotel is renowned for being the best in Malawi with African themed rooms graced with an open fire place.As the sun goes down and the night sets in, the ambience of the room changes to an atmosphere of warmth and coziness due to the fire place. During the day, after breakfast we spent our time at leisure in the beautiful terrace gardens surrounded by natural mountains and forests. The hotel atmosphere felt as though we were in Europe or Switzerland and yet the stark reality was quite the contrary with thousands of people dying of poverty and malnutrition just a few kilometers away. We also enjoyed a picturesque afternoon at the famous Williams waterfalls where we all gathered for a picnic. Certainly an afternoon worth remembering.

After two days of leisure it was back into the village where we had to inaugurate the opening of the masjid that was built by my family for the local community.Hundreds of people gathered from all over to perform the first Friday prayers in the masjid. Tribal heads and chiefs gathered to welcome us and discuss the future of the villages in terms of future progress. Our family project started off with a masjid but we aim to build a school and boarding facility for the kids of the village as well. We also need to implement a water well so that the men going to the masjid to pray will have water to do their ablution ritual before prayers. God willing these will be completed in the near future. After the opening of the masjid we had lunch and then made our way to the Mangochi district, approximately a two hour rough bumpy ride from Zomba. It is in this region that the world famous lake Malawi is situated.Viewing the lake for the first time creates the impression that you at the sea or vast ocean as the lake is graced with unspoilt white sand. It is impossible to comprehend the enormity of the lake. It is around 365km long stretching up to Tanzania and approximately 60 km wide. At night whilst sleeping, you can hear the waves from the lake. The home we booked at the lake was a five bedroom cottage that came with a cook. Our cooks name was Richard, a Malawian man, tall in stature with a friendly demeanour. He was an excellent cook serving us fresh fish and rice, barbequed T-Bone steak (The best T-Bone steak I've ever eaten) and a variety of other dishes.

The majority of people in Malawi lead very difficult lives. Most people travel either by foot or they utilise bicycles.Usually they leave their homes very early in the morning and return late in the night. Many of the markets operate until eight at night. Goods are being traded under candle light as there is no electricity in many regions. The areas that have electricity usually face frequent power outages..During our visit the country was undergoing a fuel shortage. Most of the garages did not have petrol or diesel. Every alternate day fuel was delivered to various garages and cars queuing for petrol extended many kilometers down the road. Despite the fuel crisis most of the local community were unperturbed. They were still very calm. I noticed that from all the people in the world that I have met the Malawians are the most patient. Nothing in the world bothers them. They have this attitude of being content and perhaps it is due to this contentment that they are able to continue their lives in such desolate impoverished environments.
It was quite hilarious seeing policemen unarmed at roadblocks without batons or radio communication systems.Most policemen do not have cars and utilise bicycles as a mode of transport. Many of them would thumb a lift from passing cars or busses in order to get to their assigned designated posts everyday.Despite this there is minimal crime within the local community with the exception of petty theft now and then.

The depth of poverty and malnutrition in Malawi is indescribable. The UN has many buildings in Malawi but they are not doing anything for the local community. The UN is one of the most corrupt, bogus organisations in the world. They are not helping the poor but rather plunging the country into further debt. The UN is a masonic organisation and I will discuss the origins of this organisation in another article in due course. First world countries like America do not feed their own populations with genetically modified food and yet they would like this type of food to be introduced into poor African countries like Malawi causing people to become sick, develop health problems and cause mass genocide. Indeed one of the clauses of the masonic agenda as re-iterated by Mr. Bill Gates himself on national television is to reduce the worlds population by half.

All religions teach goodness and so it is the duty of each and every individual to help the poor and the needy. All of the schools managed by Sheikh Ayoob is through the donations and generous contributions of people from all over the world especially South Africa. The government does not have the means to subsidise these schools. I would encourage everyone especially the muslim community to make a contribution towards these schools simply because charity is one of the five pillars of the islamic religion. Your generous contributions will allow the good work to continue. The kids of today are the leaders of tomorrow and so by giving these kids an education we are all assisting in empowering another human being and improving the lifestyle of an entire nation. Should you wish to make a contribution to the Al Falah Charitable Trust and I sincerely urge you to do so then please contact Sheikh Ayoob Patel at:


P.O.Box 544

Zomba

Malawi

cell: (+265) 0 999 913 759

Office : (+265) 01 524 684

Email address: alfalah.malawi@gmail.com

Banking details

Acc. Name: Al-Falah Islamic Institute
Acc No. 1151107
Bank Name:National Bank of Malawi
Zomba Branch

Or

Acc. Name: Al -Falah Islamic Institute
Acc. No.0280330009
Bank Name:First Merchant Bank
Zomba Branch

Kindly take note that all donations are distributed within both Muslim and non Muslim communities. Islam is the major religion in Malawi followed by Christianity. Usually in many families you will fnd that the maternal side is Christian and the paternal side is muslim or vice versa.

The day we left making our way to the airport down the narrow winding road with the foggy mountains in front of us, a few thoughts ran through my mind. I have never before encountered a nation with so much of patience, I have never before encountered a nation that is so content despite all the poverty, I have never before encountered a nation who yearns for knowledge yet can not afford it..Alas Malawi!! You are the true heart of Africa!!!!

Emirates check in counter South Africa plagued with racism

Arriving at O. R Tambo International airport on June 23,2011, at least two hours ahead thinking that I would check in my luggage at the Emirates counter and then have a sumptuous lunch with my folks before leaving was simply a plan that was too good to be true. On arriving at the check in counter I was amazed so see that all the check in staff were white male Afrikaans speaking South Africans. There was not one person of colour. I found this very surprising since South Africa considers itself a rainbow nation. Dad and I waited in the queue.I was dressed in full arabic attire. Arriving at the check in counter we were greeted quite half heartedly by the white gentleman who then said we needed to pay for being 1kg in excess... Yes!!!! No kidding 1kg...I was shocked. I couldnt believe this. I usually travel on emirates airlines at least 5 times a year and didn't expect such a ridiculous situation. Also bare in mind that I had absolutely no hand luggage with the exception of a small hand bag for my travel documents. To avoid the hassle of unpacking the bags dad decides to go to the emirates ticketing counter and pay R250 for the excess 1kg luggage. In the mean time I waited at the counter with the bags. Another middle eastern family approaches the counter and once again they are asked to pay for an excess of 1kg as well. So off they go to the counter to pay the excess. Then I noticed a line of white afrikaans speaking south africans and naturally the attitude towards them was different, more kind, friendly and jovial.Suddenly whilst waiting I see one of the check in staff stand up and go to his supervisor who was sitting directly in front of me. He tells him "It is 32kg. Can we let it go. Two kg over". The supervisor smiles and says "Let it go". So when I heard this I went up to the supervisor and asked him "Why are you doing this injustice? Why do I have to pay for 1kg in excess and you letting 2kg in excess go through." The man was such an idiot. He was under the impression that I am a middle eastern, arabic speaking woman who does not know English. Instead of handling the situation in a calm, polite and appropriate manner, he started shouting and screaming at me at the top of his voice saying how dare I interrupt his conversation and that the passengers were in a group so their total weight balances so its no problem if they are 2kg in excess. Now it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that the man was talking absolute rubbish. If the passenger was in a group and the weight balanced off, why then did the man at the check in counter need to stand up and seek permission from his supervisor to allow the 2kg excess to go through. On top of it he stated that the passenger was going a different route so 2kg in excess is quite ok, but I seen the passenger checking into the same flight as myself and the other middle eastern family that was asked to pay.

The supervisor was unprofessional. He hid his name underneath his jacket. He was a white Afrikaans speaking man with a beard and spectacles.He was soo rude he even shouted at a group of Chinese passengers that lost their way as they didnt understand a word of English. Instead of helping them he was mocking at them in Afrikaans with his other colleagues.
I didnt expect Emirates to be hiring such uncultured, rude, racist individuals especially since they market themselves as a world class airlines.

Any way, on arriving in Dubai I went to the airport complaints office and when I showed them the receipt for 1kg in excess luggage, the officials were actually laughing and couldn't believe it. I have travelled on many airlines across the world and all of them will give passengers a leeway of 1-2kg in excess to go through. Infact Saudi allows even 5kg to go through. It is part of their customer satisfaction policy.

I have written a letter to the highest authorities in Dubai demanding a reimbursement for the money paid as well as a written letter of apology. I wonder if they will take this matter up as in my opinion it is serious.I thought that racism is abolished in South Africa but I am afraid that racism still exists especially amongst White Afrikaans speaking South Africans. To add insult to injury, as soon as I turned my back after confronting the supervisor, he then talks about me in Afrikaans to his colleagues saying."Gee vir my haar vol details..(Give me her full details whilst whispering to each other. I think he felt that I could cause him problems and mind you that is exactly what I am planning to do.

A colleague of mine who flew Emirates airlines a month ago was diagnosed with food poisoning after eating the plane food. Up until today he is yet to receive compensation and is now taking legal action against the airlines. Another colleague of mine did not receive compensation till today for luggage that went missing on an emirates flight returning from the UK.Again, she is threatening legal action until her case is taken up and resolved.

Will I be flying emirates again? Well the answer is definitely NO!! If I can avoid using them I will definitely not use them at all. They market themselves as though they are the best in the world but I can assure you that I have travelled on other airlines that have offered better service and respect to their passengers. The Emirates check in counter in South Africa is racist and the world needs to know about this and to set the record straight I didn't mind paying a fee for an excess of 1kg, but why should I be paying when other passengers didn't. Was I treated in this manner simply because I wore an arabic styled abaya with a headscarf or was it because of the colour of my skin? It is quite sad that these same ignorant white Afrikaans speaking men fail to realise that they work for an Arab based company. Their families are being fed by Arab money.If you have faced similar airport or travel issues please share them on this blog. It is about time that consumer related issues as well as issues related to discrimination come to the fore.